| Wilson Whitley | |
| Number: | 75 |
| Position: | Defensive tackle |
| Birth Date: | April 28, 1955 |
| Birth Place: | Brenham, Texas, U.S. |
| Death Place: | Marietta, Georgia, U.S. |
| Height Ft: | 6 |
| Height In: | 3 |
| Weight Lb: | 265 |
| High School: | Brenham (TX) |
| College: | Houston (1973–1976) |
| Draftyear: | 1977 |
| Draftround: | 1 |
| Draftpick: | 8 |
| Pastteams: | |
| Highlights: |
|
| Statlabel1: | Sacks |
| Statvalue1: | 11.5 |
| Statlabel2: | Fumble recoveries |
| Statvalue2: | 5 |
| Statlabel3: | Interceptions |
| Statvalue3: | 1 |
| Pfr: | W/WhitWi24 |
| Collegehof: | 2199 |
Wilson Carl Whitley Jr. (May 28, 1955 – October 27, 1992) was an American professional football defensive tackle who played in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Houston Cougars, where he was named a consensus All-American under defensive coordinator Don Todd. He led the Cougars to the Southwest Conference championship in during Houston's first season as a conference member and won the 1976 Lombardi Award as the nation's top lineman. Former President Gerald Ford presented him the award.[1] He was later named to the 1970s Southwest Conference All-Decade Team.
Whitley was drafted in the first round of the 1977 NFL draft by the Cincinnati Bengals and started alongside another Lombardi Award winner, Ross Browner, for 6 seasons.[2]
Whitley died at the age of 37, due to a heart attack.[3]
He is a 1998 inductee into University of Houston's Hall of Honor and was a perennial candidate for the College Football Hall of Fame until his selection in 2007.[4]